PressEthic

An article in Sunday's New York Times discusses the new Harvard magazine called '01238'--the zip code of Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. According to the article, 02138 is a "luxury lifestyle book." What does that mean exactly, you might ask?

"Luxury lifestyle books, like Hamptons Magazine, Palm Beach Illustrated and the subtly titled Rich Guy, are magazines that are essentially about the people who subscribe to them (or, in many cases, who are given complimentary subscriptions) and are easily identifiable by their thick, glossy paper and ads for Polo, Prada and the kind of diamond jewelry that is usually called 'encrusted.'"

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The article oozes sarcasm in the description:

"Like all luxury lifestyle magazines, it excites feelings of envy and inferiority while also sending out a lifeline of reassurance to those fortunate and discerning enough to be reading the magazine in the first place."

Leaving aside the sometimes-belittling tone of the author (an example of bias?), what interest me was what is going happen next. As the article describes, Harvard spends up to 1 million dollars a year protecting the "brand name" of "Harvard" from being used to sell something that Harvard itself does not endorse. How does 02138 fit in with Harvard's constant PR 'spin' campaign? Splattered on the cover of this month's issue are the words, "Harvard, Unstuffed." The heading on the magazine's website reads: "02138: The World of Harvard."

In perusing a current issue of the magazine, I found that pretty every article was about a Harvard graduate--whether undergrad, business school, law, medicine, or graduate. It was good reading--I suggest you take a look if you have the time--but what exactly are they selling here?

According to the founder's letter,

"Our mission at 02138 is to track the Harvard tribe and to look at the world through the lens of Harvard—with intellectual rigor and a critical eye."

The title reads:

"Welcome to the magazine for the Harvard sensibility."

Can 02138 turn Harvard into a "brand"? What the magazine basically implies is that Harvard graduates are superior, and therefore the magazine strives to cater to their superior tastes and interests. It is so completely biased in its assumption that Harvard grads will be living a "luxury lifestyle" that I think it warrants the mocking article in New York Times. I would imagine that the Harvard administration would be embarrassed to have their name plastered all over an egotistical, snobby glossy mag, in which (once you get past all the diamond ads!) one of the title articles reveals how rich donor parents get their kids in to Harvard based on money, not merit. Talk about bad publicity!

Will this blatant exploitation of the Harvard name face any consequences? Interestingly enough, the article contains no comments, quotes, or reactions from Harvard's administration or PR reps. Do they support the branding of Harvard grads with an all-encompassing elitist label? [Example that this 'elitist label' exists: My sister, who attends Harvard Law School, says she goes to school "in Boston" to avoid the stigma surrounding Harvard students].

In his Boston Globe column, Alex Beam expressed similar distain for the idea of such elitist propaganda, saying,

"It's certainly an original gambit, to market a subscription-based magazine to a group that outsiders can't join. Alumni magazines typically lose plenty of money, and it's hard to see who would want to read this one, apart from the not-inconsiderable universe of narcissistic Harvard graduates. I do have an idea for a slogan that might broaden 02138's appeal: ''The magazine about the people you hated in high school.' It's theirs, for free."

Obviously I'm not the only one who thinks this publication is ridiculous.